EARLY LEARNING

Throughout the first half of the year, Ruyton Early Learning continued to operate onsite to provide education and care for our youngest students. In such uncertain times, our high quality Early Learning programme provided much-needed continuity and stability for our Kindergarten and Pre Prep children and their families. In Term 2, our staff provided distance learning invitations for friends who were at home. Underpinned by our work around developing a culture of thinking, our invitations offered possibilities to wonder, question, create, communicate and share. Shared with our families via Storypark each morning, our youngest students delighted in seeing and hearing their teachers via photo, audio and video, and enjoyed participating in a range of engaging and stimulating learning and teaching experiences. These at-home experiences included: cooking, gardening, yoga, obstacle courses, story time, painting, health and hygiene, creating animations, drawing, nature walks, writing, listening, mindfulness, measuring, transient art, dancing, speaking and more! At the very beginning of our distance learning journey, some of our students were gifted a precious seed to plant at home. They were invited to predict what would happen to the seed, monitor changes, record observations, and report results (via photography, drawing, and video) that were shared with teachers and friends. Over time we witnessed some seeds sprouting, growing and changing, and we delighted in individually participating in this shared experience. It gave the children an opportunity to have a shared experience while apart, and provided a sense of hope and joy as we watched the seeds sprout and grow. As staff, we were gifted many lessons as we discovered how to navigate the worlds of onsite and distance learning. We thank our talented and hardworking Early Learning team and specialist staff for ensuring our children had so many wonderful opportunities. Thank you to our families for your participation in our onsite programme and distance learning invitations, and for the wonderful feedback along the way. Sarah Denholm Director of Early Learning